Fence-staple.



c. L. STIDHAM a). s. WASHBU'RN.

FENCE STAPLE.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 15. 1918.

' 1,295,81 l Patented Feb. 25,1919.

, 8 0. L. 571(7/70771 WW (la/2nd. Washbum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .oHARLEs L. STIDYHAM AND- JOHN s. .wAsH URN, or Ganvors MIL S, MISSOURI.

" FENCE-STAPLE.

Specificatim 1 Letters R em- Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application filed April 15, 1918. Serial No. 228,725.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that we, CHARLES L. STIDI-IAM and JOHN S. VVASHBURN, citizens of the United States, residing at Gravois Mills, in the county of Morgan and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fence-Staples, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to securing devices, particularly to wire securing devices, and has for its object the provision of a novel form of staple adapted for use in securing fence wire upon the fence post and so constructed as to hold the wire firmly in position against the post while by decreasing the risks of splitting 0r cracking the post, a contingency which would result in loosening or falling out of the staple.

A very important object isthe provision of a staple of this character so constructed,

that it may be readily bent or distorted from its normal shape to permit disengagement of the fence wire therefrom with a minimum degree of effort.

A further object is the provision of a staple of this character which will be extremely simple and inexpensive in manufacture, readily applied, highly efficient and durable in use and ageneral improvement of the art.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the novel construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the staple.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through a fence post and wire showingthe staple in use.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral 5 indicates the body of my staple which is bifurcated as shown at 6 toprovide a pair of spaced, substantially parallel prongs 7 which are gradually tapered toward their ends to provide penetrating points 8. The body 5 at its'end 0-pposite the points 8 has formed integrally thereon a curved lug 9 which has its extension 10 extending substantially parallel with and spaced from the prongs 7 and having its edge 11 sharpened as shown. Formed upon the body 5 adjacent its juncture with the lug 9 is a projection12 which is substantiallyparallel with the prongs 7 and which is preferably, though not necessarily rectangular in shape.

The use of our improved staple is really obvious but for the sake of utmost clearness we have shown in Fig. 3 a fence post A into which the staple is driven for the purpose of securing the fence wire B. By referring to this figure it will be seen that the wire B is engaged between the post and within the space between the hook like lug 9 and the body 5. It is understood of course that the prongs 7-may be disposed below or above the wire B and that the hook-like lug 9 will consequently be either above or below the wire depending upon the arrangement of the staple. The staple is driven firmly into the post, whereupon the sharpened edge 11 of the extensionlO of the lug 9 will penetrate a short distance into the post as shown.

It will be observed that in the use of the device the prongs 7 aredisposed in a plane parallel with the wire B and that consequently they will penetrate the post along different vertical planes whereby the splitting action upon the post will be reduced to a minimum. If for any reason it should be desired to remove the staple, or rather to disengage the wire from the post, it is merely necessary to strike a blow upon the projection 12 whereupon the staple will be readily and quickly bent or distorted so that the edge 11 of the hook-like lug 9 will be moved away from the post a sufficient distance to permit the wire B to be withdrawn. An additional feature of convenience in the useof this staple is that the staple may be started at the desired spot and driven part way into the ost, after which the wire may be hooked onto the staple after which the staple will of courserbe driven home as previ ously described.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawing it will be apparent that we have thus provided a staple whereby fence wire maybe readily and quickly secured upon the post with a minimum degree of effort and which is readily capable of distortion when desired to permit removal of the wire.

Having thus described our invention we claim r A staple comprising a body bifurcated at one end to provide a pair of spaced substantially parallel prongs terminating in penetrating points, the other end of said body being relatively thick, a curved lug ing in an extension spaced from andpa'rsite to the bifurcation and having a length substantially equal to the distance between said prongs, V r .7

"fw'a'fiix our sigma- 1) formed 011 the thick end of said body and extending toward said points and terminat- In testimony 'Whero'o allel with the plane of said prongs, theend tures. of said extension being sharpened to pror I vide a relatively long edge disposed oppo- CHARLES L. STIDHAM.

JOHN S. WASHBURN.

five cents each, by a ddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

copies of this patent may be obtained for Washington, D. G, V I 

